How Much Are The Original American Girl Dolls Actually Worth?
Chances are that when you were growing up there were a few dolls that you always wanted. There were some Barbie dolls that were absolutely coveted, there were of course the iconic Cabbage Patch Dolls that everyone needed, but there was one brand that seemed to take the cake when it came to the most desirable doll on the market.
American Girl dolls were probably the fanciest things our tiny brains could dream of owning. Sure, they cost a pretty penny when they first came out, but if you could convince your parents that they were worth it, you were happy forever.
These dolls first came out in 1986, and the 18-inch dolls were made with accompanying story books that taught young girls about women throughout history.
You could purchase outfits to match the stories to dress up the doll that you had, and over time the collection expanded to a wider variety of characters, and eventually you could even order one that looked just like you.
But as time goes on, the different models that we grew up loving get "retired" and unlike the TY Beanie Baby craze, these dolls seem to have held on to their values a little bit better, some of them still worth a fair bit of money.
Now, as we all know, things are only worth what people are willing to spend on it, so while these dolls may be listed for these high numbers, it doesn't mean they will sell for that.
So, to find out how much you can actually get for your American Girl dolls, I checked into the recently sold section and there are a few bigger numbers, but some are less impressive.
1986 Samantha + Accessories - $1,299
That may sound like a shocking amount of money, but it's not like she only comes with the doll and her outfit. She actually comes with several different dresses, six different book sets, a bunch of different special edition collections and a travel set.
This is a pretty huge collection to buy, but even still, $1,299 is a lot of money!
Original 1986 Collection of Four Dolls - $1,250
As a set, these four original 1986 dolls sold for a whopping $1,250. The set included Samantha, Molly, Kirsten, and Addy, and had all of their additional accessories with them. The only thing missing according to the listing was the penny from Samantha's purse.
1986 Samantha - $290
As you can see, there's been a significant drop in value. It seems that if you're selling just one doll without a bunch of extra limited edition accessories you aren't going to be able to fetch the same high prices.
She's a bit cheaper because she's missing the book, and the box has a bit of wear and tear that would be expected after over 30 years on a shelf.
1986 Felicity - $275
Felicity, with her bright red hair, costs $275, which is clearly a lot of money but there's still a lot missing. She doesn't have parts of her original outfit, she didn't come with the original box, and there is a bit of damage to her outfit.
So, if you've got a partially complete set, you can still get a good chunk of change if the character is rare enough!
1986 Kirsten - $225
So this Kirsten doll comes in "immaculate" condition according to the listing, with the hair still in the original braids. The listing doesn't claim to include the box or book or anything other than what you see on her, her pristine condition is probably the reason for her higher price tag.
The cheapest that these original dolls seem to sell for is around $50 - $100 depending on their condition and what they come with.
So the question remains, is it worth it to cash in on your American Girl dolls? Well, it's not like you could make millions on them, you could potentially earn a couple hundred dollars.
If you aren't really that attached why not sell it. But if you remember that your parents probably spent more than that on the doll and the countless outfits you got over your life, it may not be worth it.
While the prices aren't the thousands of dollars that some websites are claiming, you may as well make a few bucks off them right? Unless you can hold onto them and make more later...
HT - Click2Houston / Urbo